


Moving Forward

by FadingIntoYou



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 08:50:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5410580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FadingIntoYou/pseuds/FadingIntoYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from Sweetycaramel : Leanne and Neal stuck in an elevator.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, if you are up to date with Code Black nothing should surprise you. Mentions of Leanne's kiss with Cole.

Leanne was rubbing her forehead tiredly, with an almost overbearing Neal less than 3 feet behind her as she made a beeline for the elevator. She’d been at work for only about 6 hours, but she had been getting upset looks from him at least half the time. At first she didn’t understand, that is, until Jesse had made a flippant comment about Cole. She hadn’t thought anyone had seen her kiss him, but from the sour look on Neal’s face, she hadn’t been as careful as she should have. She didn’t understand why her life seemed to make for common conversation between the three of them, but the glare she sent Jesse’s way had stopped him from further scrutiny. Neal on the other hand, had been colder towards her, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. He was still one of her closest friends; she didn’t want something so spur of the moment to change their relationship. She walked into the elevator and jammed her thumb against the button for the third floor, knowing that Neal’s agitated form was ramrod straight against the opposite wall. She’d suggested they take a break together, but the subtle threat under her words made it clear that it really wasn’t up for debate. 

“You know I love you, but for the love of god, cut this out,” she muttered, hitting the button to close the doors harder than necessary. Neal’s heart lurched at her casual tone, wishing that after all these years, she couldn’t affect him this way. 

“Don’t start a conversation you aren’t willing to finish Leanne,” Neal bit out, and the arched brow she sent him didn’t deter him at all. He was used to them going back and forth; she should have realized by now that her ways had rubbed off on him, not intimidated him. He raised one eyebrow back, and her eyes narrowed at him.

“Oh really, and what conversation is that?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned to face him completely. Just as he was about to answer her, the elevator lurched, sending Leanne into the control panel as Neal caught himself with the railing. The elevator had come to a stop, and the way Leanne shut her eyes told him more than she intended. She didn’t want to be stuck in here with him, and if the pastimes this had occurred was anything to go by, it’d be at least an hour before they had a chance of getting out. When she opened her eyes and looked at him, she saw the resignation on his face as he slowly slid his body to the floor. She refused to sit as she leaned back against the wall, her arm coming up to fold over her chest, defensive and uncomfortable that there wasn’t a way out. This had happened to her once before, and she was trying to keep her cool. She had already pressed the help button to no avail, and now it was just a waiting game.

“I bet I’m not the one you want to be stuck in here with this time…” Neal remarked, and the glare she gave him worried him. It wasn’t just her usual irritation, but there were traces of hurt there that he hadn’t entirely meant to happen. He was just frustrated with her, and their situation, and he didn’t know how to approach it without her withdrawing from him completely. 

“Oh screw you Neal,” she said, her voice low, but still bouncing off the walls in the small space. He looked away from her, knowing that this couldn’t have happened at a worse time. He was hurt and angry, and he hasn’t had any time to cool down. They were always in each other’s faces, and it was never really a problem until now. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but that part of his memory was still sore on that specific subject. 

“Don’t go making the same mistakes twice Leanne…” he whispered, and he heard her sharp intake of breath as he kept his eyes firmly on the wall to his left. He drummed his fingers on his thighs as he sat cross legged on the floor, hearing her slowly shift until she was seated as well. He’d promised himself that he wasn’t going to get into this, but she made him crazy and he couldn’t help it. After everything they’d been through, he thought she thought more of their relationship. 

“I thought we agreed that was...That’s what this is about?” she asked helplessly, mimicking his position as she stared at him. She’d known there was more to his attitude towards her, but it’s been almost five years; she thought they were both over everything by now. 

“Isn’t that what it’s always been about?” he said, rolling his eyes to look back at her, her eyes filled with questions, her body language tired. He was tired too, but they’d never really cleared the air about this. He’d been fine with it before, but seeing her kiss Cole was a blow that he hadn’t expected.

“Neal…”

“You knew how I felt about you,” he exhaled almost sadly, his eyes no longer angry and cold, but reverent and soft. She really did know how he had felt about her, had known for some time really. He hadn’t hid it well, but before the accident, she could ignore it because she had a husband and a family. After, she just wasn't the same person.

“I didn’t ask you to be there,” she said apologetically, not sure what it was that he wanted her to say.

“You didn’t have to,” he responded immediately, his lips lifting into a smirk as he thought back on things. She knew exactly what he was talking about, and her neck flushed with embarrassment, and a fire she hadn’t felt towards him in a long time.

_She’d been at the hospital for a solid three days, and the knowledge that she was avoiding going home wasn’t lost on him. Neal knew Leanne well enough to know that she was frustrated, and he’d asked her enough times to assume it was because of her home life. She and Jake had been trying to reconnect lately, but she was feeling as if he was merely uninterested in their marriage. He was always working late, to the point where she had to hire a nanny, because she couldn’t count on him to be home with the kids if she got called in. She was tired of being a single parent, and it was wearing on her. She knew he’d taken the week to spend with the kids, but it didn’t make up for the almost three months of barely showing up to events. Neal had pulled her into her office to talk, and he could see her eyes brimming with tears as she finally let him in._

_“Jake just doesn’t want to work on this anymore, and I’m so damn tired of knowing that if I tell him Eric has a soccer game, I’ll get a text within the hour apologizing,” she huffed out angrily, swiping at a stray tear as she rested her lower half against her desk. He stood in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder as she buried her head in her hands. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her in tears over her marital problems, but his heart went out to her. She was an amazingly strong woman that saved lives, and all she wanted was a partner to help share the load._

_“I just don’t think I can do this anymore,” she whispered, dragging her hands down as she placed her hand on his arm. He instinctively moved his hand up from her shoulder, placing it behind her neck as he pulled her into a hug. He felt her clutch the sides of his scrubs tightly, bringing him closer to her as she cried all over again. He was making low, soothing sounds as he kneaded the muscles under his hand. Leaning into her hair, he tried to convey his support, knowing she just needed to be reassured she wasn't as alone as she thought._

_When Leanne pulled away from his chest, she realized Neal’s head was tilted opposite hers, and she briefly wondered why Jake couldn't be like Neal. He was always there, always on her side, and he just wanted to make sure she knew she had people behind her. She bit her lip at the guilt that coursed through her at the thought, and she saw his eyes drop to her mouth. Usually he was more subtle, but she tried not to put them in compromising positions like this. She knew he'd been attracted to her, it was just something she could feel. His eyes followed her, and the few times she'd had to change around him, his red tipped ears said it all. She couldn't say it wasn't mutual, because he was a good looking man. He was strong, but what got to her was his compassion. He just connected with people in a genuine way that was incredibly sexy. She didn't feel guilty noticing it because she was committed to her marriage, but the way he was looking at her now..._

_Neal watched the conflicted emotions in her eyes as they jumped over his face, and he smiled sadly as his left hand went from her neck to her ponytail, gently pulling the band from her hair as it fell around her shoulders. He ran his fingernails up the base of her neck and against her scalp, her intake of breath and arch into his touch intoxicating as her eyes slipped shut. He watched her dark eyelashes rest against her skin, and he let a soft smile cross his lips at the natural beauty she exuded. She was breathtaking in a guarded way, only letting people see what she wanted, except for this moment; in this moment, she was just a woman that felt like she couldn't really count on anyone but herself. He kept running his nails gently against her scalp, and she let out a low hum that he only heard because he was so close. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked at him, gaze hooded and content, and he knew everything was ruined._

_“I'm sorry,” he murmured, and he didn't see the confusion cross her face as he brought his right hand up to cup her jaw, placing his lips against hers as he pulled his entire body into her. He felt warmth from where their bodies rested together, but closed his eyes the second he felt her press back against his lips. He tilted a bit more and pressed their lips more firmly together, and he felt her grip on him relax as she melted into his kiss. Her hands slid from his sides down to the bottom of his scrub shirt, and she hesitantly placed her pinkies under the material to feel his skin._

_He sucked in a surprised breath, her fingertips cold against his overheated skin as his hands slid down and around to rest on either side of her neck. His thumbs rested under the hinge of her jaw, tilting her head back as he ran his tongue gently over her lower lip, using his teeth to gently pull her lip into his mouth so he could suck on it softly. Her gasp into his mouth gave him a jolt of lust, and he couldn't understand why he hadn't done this sooner. Consequences be damned, she would be worth it every time._

_Leanne's hands were bolder as she slid her palms up either side of his back under his shirt, his skin soft as she gently ran her hands up and down in a slow rhythm. She couldn't get enough of his heat, and she kept kissing him because he made her feel good. He made her feel alive, cared for, and every brush of his fingers were full of intent and promise. He was gentle with her because he thought she deserved it, not because he didn't know any other way to connect with her. She lost herself in his passion, and let herself enjoy the way he seemed to never want to let her go. She slid her hands up his back again, but this time, she used her thumbs to bring the shirt up with her, silently urging him to break contact for just a moment. She wanted to feel more of his skin, to see him be vulnerable for just a minute, so she knew she wasn't the only one feeling bare. He seemed to hear her loud and clear, and pulled away from her mouth, but not before tugging seductively on her lip with his teeth.He effortlessly pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it behind her as she placed her hands on his pecs, stopping him from connecting their lips again as she flexed her nails into his skin. She dipped her head and placed her lips softly against the skin of his left pec, resting there for a moment before she did the same on the other side. She rested her forehead against his sternum, breathing out slow breaths over his stomach as he held her shoulders, not wanting to let her go. She looked up at him and rested her chin on his chest, her hands wrapping around his back as she pulled him close again. His hands slid over her shoulders and under her hair, wrapping her up in his arms as she turned her head to the side, her ear close to his heart. It was pounding just like hers, and it was nice to know she wasn't the only one that felt their grip on reality slipping._

_“You know this can't ever happen again…” She whispered, her lips brushing his skin from where she refused to relinquish her connection to him. He just held her tighter against him, his thumb brushing back and forth over her shoulder, the material of her scrub top reminding him that he was only half dressed. He'd known this wasn't something she'd let get too far; she was loyal to a fault, and he knew he'd only have however long she let him._

_“That's why I apologized. I knew it was wrong but…” He said softly, his words brushing her hair as he let his sentence trail off. He wasn't sorry he'd done it; he was just sorry that he wasn't stronger to avoid complicating her life further. The entire time he'd known her she was married, he just wished he'd had more self control._

_“But you couldn't help it. And you thought I needed you…” She teased as she pulled away from him, untangling their limbs as she leaned back, grabbing his shirt and holding it to her chest. He tilted his head in question and she did the same, running her thumb against the corner of her mouth, her nail catching on the reddened skin that his eyes zeroed in on. He reached for his shirt as he got close to her face, and she instinctively leaned into him as they brushed their lips together. So much for not doing that again._

_“Maybe I just couldn't resist any longer. You're quite addictive Dr. Rorish,” he said huskily, pulling his shirt out of her hands as she bit her lip. She winced and brought her thumb up to brush the tender spot, Neal's smirk getting wider as he slipped his shirt over his head and back on._

_“You did that on purpose,” she accused gently, knowing that he'd bruised her lip with his teeth, and she hadn't realized it until now. She ran her tongue over it quickly, and tried to suppress a laugh at the almost pained look he sent her way. She didn't know how they could be so relaxed about this; her relationship with Neal was one she never could quite explain when asked._

_“Can you stop doing that?” He questioned, and his voice sent shiver down her spine. It was full of want, and she was tempted to pull him back to her until he took a step back. One of them needed to remember that this was a weak moment, and apparently she didn't have the willpower to keep her hands to herself. She smirked this time, sliding off the desk as she straightened her clothes, pulling her hair back up into a ponytail as she plucked her hair tie from his waiting fingers. He smiled tenderly at her as she stood in front of him, feeling a bit lost at the distance they'd put between themselves. They didn't know how they were going to work past what happened, but their work was too important to let something...like this, get in the way._

_“Are we good?” He asked, and Leanne nodded, brushing her bangs out of her face as he kept himself from doing that for her. It was going to take him a minute to remember that she wasn't his to touch, but this moment was something he didn't think he'd ever forget._

_“Yeah, yeah we’re good” ___


	2. Chapter 2

“Do you ever think about it?” Neal asked quietly, but anything above a mutter was echoed off the steel walls. He was afraid of her answer, afraid that she'd tell him that it honestly hadn't meant anything, but he was desperate to know the truth. Years had gone by and they were adults; they could talk about this now.

Leanne looked over at Neal as she uncrossed her legs, straightening them in front of her and crossing one foot over the other at the ankle. Her crossed feet rested against his right thigh, and she watched him slowly do the same so they could touch if need be. She wouldn't admit it, but she loved to watch him move and stretch. He had a grace about him that was mesmerizing, and she dropped her eyes as she really gave his question some thought. It didn't take her very long to find her words, but she took a second to make sure her meaning was clear. 

“There are days when it's been all I think about,” she admits, her voice almost too steady as she locks eyes with him again. He shouldn't feel as relieved as he is, but knowing she'd thought about them...it made some of his anger at their situation dissipate. 

“Some days, I wish I could just forget,” she added, and he could see the pain that lingered. He knew she'd gone back to Jake and they'd worked out their problems for the most part, and he'd vowed to never bring it up again. Then the accident happened, and she'd put up walls that even he thought he couldn't get through. She was a different kind of guarded now, but no less beautiful.

“I don't regret it, if that matters,” he comments, and she nods at him, putting a hand on his shin to reinforce her feelings.

“It does, matter,” she replied, and the lopsided grin she got in return made her remember why she'd been able to let him in. He was such a soft, goofy man when he trusted you. Her affection for him had still grown over the years, but she was sure she hid it better than he ever did. 

“Why Cole?” Neal asked, and Leanne pulled her hand back into her lap, suddenly uncomfortable with his imploring gaze. She knew what he was really asking; _why not me? ___

“Because he's uncomplicated,” she stated simply, and he gave her a look at the that effectively communicated his displeasure at her reasoning. She rolled her eyes, watching as his challenging look was accompanied by defensive arm crossing; he was daring her to lie to him.

“He's Guthrie’s son-”

“I know,” she acknowledged, but she didn't offer anything else as he went on.

“He's a surgeon…”

“So were you,” she threw back accusingly at him, and he made a face at her, unhappy with their similarities.

“That just means you used to have good taste…” He huffs out, and that gets a throaty laugh from Leanne that Neal hasn't heard in far too long. It breaks his moody attitude and makes him laugh too, because seeing her laugh always did that to him. She made him softer and more sentimental in ways he'd never imagined. Her laughter tapered off as she looked back at him, her face blank as she spoke.

“Cole was a spur of the moment decision…”

“And if memory serves, so were we,” he replied, and she shook her head at his stubbornness. 

“Cole only knows me now,” she explained, and Neal understood what she meant, “it's just nice to not be looked at like a broken toy”

“I've never looked at you like that,” he responded, offended at the insinuation that he treated her differently, and that she considered it a bad thing.

“You're right, you didn't,” she muttered, but it sounded anything but complementary as she dropped her eyes and stared at the wall beside him.

“You just looked at me like you knew this part of me that others didn't, and sometimes, I just think that we can't open that door again”

“Why is that? Because it wasn't an ideal time-”

“I cheated on my husband with you Neal,” she said rather bluntly, and he winced at the flat tone she had. He tried to justify it in his head, because of his feelings for her, but there was no way around what they'd done. Even after all this time, he knew they both had lingering guilt that would never really go away. 

“I apologized…”

“I know. I just…” She paused, trying to find the right words as Neal looked at her patiently, “sometimes I think we have too much history to go back”

“Or maybe, we have a foundation that has withstood obstacles and tragedies that most people don't ever encounter,” he disagreed, and her eye roll was expected. She was rather predictable, but he wasn't going to be the one to tell her that. 

“I think you're being naive,” she responded, and he tilted his head in acceptance.

“That may be true, but I also think you and I would make a good team”

“We do make a good team, and that's exactly why we should just let it go,” she reminded him, and he shook his head in disagreement. He cared a great deal about her, but she never did make it easy.

“Alright, how about we figure it out once and for all?” He asked, and Leanne felt her stomach drop at the almost cocky grin on his face. Neal was never one to brag unless he was absolutely certain, and she'd admit that when it came to their history, he made her just a little nervous. He scooted towards her, making sure their bodies still faced one another as he shifted his legs to rest behind him away from her. He leaned into her, and he could see the way Leanne watched him wearily from her place against the wall. He leaned over, placing his right hand under her jaw and urging her closer to him, slowly closing the gap between them. He watched as panic set in for a moment, before she relaxed into his touch, but not helping him in the slightest.

“If you feel nothing, I'll never mention this again. And I'll let go of my feelings about Cole,” he offered, only about four inches from her face when he stopped moving, giving her a chance to answer him. He could see her thinking about it, and he forced himself to stay still, letting her make this decision on her own. 

“And if we do...feel something,” she ventured, her voice lowering as if they weren't alone. He had to smile at her; she always had a way of making him feel like he had her sole attention with just her tone and a look. She wrapped her right hand around his wrist, gently encircling the hand that was cradling her face, not sure if she was going to push him away or pull him closer just yet.

“Then maybe this time, you'll let me kiss you like I've been wanting to for the past five years…” he whispered, and her grip on his wrist tightened momentarily, “because the only complaint about last time, is that is was much too brief for my liking”

“You're an idiot,” she mumbled, his lips much closer, their breaths mingling as they stayed close to one another. Their easy intimacy was something she didn't realize she'd been wanting and missing all these years; she'd never had to work hard when it came to him, he always met her halfway, and this was no exception. She leaned forward, brushing her fingertips against the inside of his wrist as he brought his other hand up, cradling her head like he did last time. 

“Should I apologize?” He whispered, his accent thicker as she realized just how much he wanted her. It was exhilarating, knowing that all this time hadn't made his feelings, or hers, less intense.

“If you apologize for kissing me, I'll kill you,” she said, using the hand on his wrist to finally bring his lips against her. This time though, Neal wasted no time in tilting their heads, nipping at her bottom lip to elicit a gasp that had him running his tongue over her lip teasingly. Not giving it much thought, Leanne opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue, giving just as good as she got. She wrapped her free arm around the back of his neck, pulling him in closer as she slowly sank down the wall to lay on the floor, forcing Neal to follow her. He ended up taking one hand from her face to balance himself against the floor, the other cradling the back of her head from the cold metal. 

“I could get used to this,” he said, sliding his hand from behind her head when he felt her reach for him. He intertwined their fingers and brought their hands up to rest just to the right of her head, her left hand still wrapped around his neck. His right arm was holding him up, and the view of Leanne's face was nothing short of absolutely stunning. Her lips were swollen and her eyes were happy and bright, and he wished that he could capture this moment, because no one got to see Leanne like this. No one knew there was so much more to this complex, brilliant doctor. Just when she was about to respond, they heard a crackling from what sounded like a speaker, and both turned their heads toward the sound.

“If the two of you are ready to head back to work, maintenance would like to get you out without scarring innocent children in pediatrics,” Jesse said through the speaker, and Neal’s forehead dropped gently to rest against Leanne's, the back of his neck and ears flaming with embarrassment at being caught in such a compromising position. When Neal tried to pull away, Leanne unwrapped her arm from Neal just enough to flip off whatever camera Jesse was able to see them through, before letting him go and trying to sit up.

“Well that’s rude” Jesse replied, enjoying their discomfort from the safety of the maintenance office.

“Exactly how long have you been waiting to get us out?” Leanne asked, watching Neal move away from her a bit as Jesse's voice echoed around them. She could feel her irritation rise with her frustration, and only one of those was Jesse's fault.

“Only since you hit the floor,” he replied candidly, and Leanne covered her face with one hand before she looked over at Neal, whose ears were still a shade of pink. He grinned shyly at her and bumped her shoulder, and she watched him slowly get up and stand in front of her. Both hands were placed in her line of vision as they heard the elevator begin to come to life, and Leanne let him pull her up, standing entirely too close to him than was strictly professional.

“Are we good?” She asked this time, and Neal threaded the fingers on both hands with hers while staying silent. He brought his left hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles, before lowering them and doing the same with her other hand. He could feel her rapid pulse against his skin, and it gave him hope that this wasn't going to be something else they had to try to forget. Before answering, Neal pulled his right hand away, hearing the chime of the elevator distantly as he pulled her chin to him, kissing her softly before pulling back. When he heard a low hum of disapproval from her, he leaned up to place a kiss to her forehead before untangling himself from her. As the doors opened, Neal took a step away, making sure nothing looked suspicious as he gave her that same lopsided grin. She bit the inside of her cheek trying to contain her smile, but she didn't think she was doing a very good job if the amusement in his eyes was anything to go by.

“Yeah, I think we'll be just fine”


End file.
